Dr. Kaiser Bengali is one of the most distinguished economists of Pakistan and is widely respected for his pro-poor analysis in the public and policy circles. Currently, he heads the Benazir Bhutto Support Program, Government of Pakistan.

Dr. Kaiser has headed the prestigious institutions like Social Policy and Development Center (SPDC), Karachi.

He has over 20 years teaching and research experience and has been associated with the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Applied Economics Research Centre, University of Karachi, and SZABIST. He has also held visiting appointments at the Institut Universitaire d’Etudes du Developpement, University of Geneve, Switzerland and at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK.

Dr Kaiser specializes in national income accounts, industrialization and employment, and governance of local public institutions and has published extensively in national and international journals. He also regularly writes for the Daily Dawn.

Always ready to contribute to the youth development issues, Dr Kaiser started his social activism as one of the pioneers and leaders of an alternative student group in the University of Karachi.

Dr. Ghazala Irfan has been teaching Philosophy at the Masters level at Punjab University since 1977,'and PhD classes (1997-98) at the Institute of Education and Research (lER) before she joined the LUMS.

She conducted post doctoral research as a Fulbright Scholar in USA (1995-96). She is a visiting speaker at the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA); Vice-President Islamic Philosophical Association since 1982; Elected Rapporteur Afro- Asian Philosophy Association since 1992, having served as Secretary, Pakistan Philosophical Congress from 1984-90. Dr Ghazala is a keen exponent of classical music and is the Joint Secretary of the All Pakistan Music Conference.

Dr. Huma Baqai teaches currently at IBA, Karachi. Before that, she has been associated with Department of International Relations at the Karachi University for most of her academic career.

She is specialist in non-state peace diplomacy. Her PhD was on “Non Military Sources of Conflict in South Asia”.

Apart from this, She has been anchoring different Current Affairs programmes on Pakistan Television Network, since 2001 for instance ‘This Week’, ‘Midweek Review’ and ‘News Morning’. Moreover she has also appeared as an analyst on foreign affairs and national issues on Pakistan Television Network and private TV channels since 2000 to date.

Ms Samina Zareen is a practicing lawyer and member of District Bar Association (DBA) Gujranwala and Lahore High Court Bar Association. She has held the offices of Joint Secretary DBA Gujranwala in 1988-89, Vice President from 1998 to 2005 and its Treasury at present since 2006.

She was Elected President of Young Lawyers Organization from 1991 to 1993. Besides her professional stature she holds remarkable social and political portfolio. She is an active member of and has been working with Beijing + 5 and + 10 in the field of women rights. She is also affiliated with the Welfare Association of Prisoners Central Jail Gujranwala, Red Crescent, Punjab Educational Foundation and Pakistan Qalm-e-Nou District Gujranwala.

She also holds the privilege to be a member of District Assembly Gujranwala since 2001 to date.

Abdul Basit Chaudhry is one of the founding members of BARGAD. He has been a special source of support and guidance to the organization especially in legal matters.

A graduate from the Government College Lahore, he did his LLB from the Punjab University. Currently, he is working as an advocate in the High Court. He is a life member of the Lahore High Court Bar and an honorary member of the Gujranwala Bar.

He has been on various committees of the Lahore High Court Bar.

Prof. Shahid Gul teaches philosophy at the Punjab University, Lahore. He specializes in linguistic theories of Wittengenstein, religious language and modern thought. Published by research journals, he is also author of three books on philosophical issues. He is currently a PhD candidate.

Prof. Gul’s service to BARGAD emanates from his strong belief in the virtue of interactions for student and youth development.

Sarmad Reza Nayak is one of the founding members of BARGAD. A sociologist by training from Punjab University, he runs his community development NGO “Punchayat” and printing business in his home town Rahwali district Gujranwala.

He specializes in training and participatory community development. He has a vast experience of community training and local development through alternative media and arts. He has conducted theatrical and puppetry performances in various locations in Pakistan and has used his mastery over hand-made paper making in trainings.

He is a vibrant peace activist and an Alumni of WISCOMP, India.